Hey Remodelaholics! Nina from Everyday Enchanting here to show you how I updated an Ikea Tarva Dresser and transformed it into a gorgeous and inexpensive knock-off of the Pottery Barn Apothecary Cabinet! This is my second Pottery Barn knock-off, we also built a custom sink console, which you can read about here!
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Unfortunately, the $800 price tag is very much beyond my budget. This is the case with most of the furniture I fall in love with- it’s what ultimately led to me becoming a DIYer and then later a DIY blogger! This is what I love to do- create a high end piece from either scratch or a less expensive (but sturdy) piece!
The Ikea Tarva unfinished dresser is much closer to my budget at $80. Contemplating the photo, I realized that it would be possible to create the look for a fraction of the price of the PB version by purchasing the dresser, and using some items I already had to finish it up with the look of an apothecary cabinet.
Ikea Tarva Dresser to Pottery Barn Apothecary Cabinet Hack
I ordered the Tarva and assembled it as soon as it arrived. I followed the instructions completely, even though I knew I would be taking some parts back off- and assembled the entire dresser.
When it came time to do the finish work, I unlocked the cam lock screws and removed the drawer faces.
I also removed the legs, since they would need to be cut down to accommodate the trim better.
As you can see from the photo above, the PB version has faux-drawers which appear to be panels added on top of the cabinet faces. I opted to use the router to add evenly spaced grooves to the drawer front instead- which ultimately saved the expense, time, and hassle of purchasing wood and adding the panels. We measured out two evenly spaced areas to add the groove, then used a 3/8″ roundnose router bit and router table to add the detail grooves. TIP: Make sure to do a test run with a spare board and the router to confirm your measurements.
After routing, I broke the sharp edge with 100 grit sandpaper to match the other bevels. Then I went over the entire face with 220 grit sandpaper.
Next I trimmed down the dresser legs and reattached them to the dresser.
Next we cut the base trim at a 45 degree angle.
We glued and nailed the trim to the bottom of the dresser. I filled the nail holes and allowed the wood filler to dry.
After the wood filler was dry, I sanded down the whole dresser with 220 grit sandpaper. I started by staining the base trim with Minwax Dark Walnut. I suspected from the sanding that the trim was softer and would absorb the stain differently, and that proved to be correct. I ultimately ended up adding a second coat to the bottom trim.
I wanted the groove details to appear darker, so I added the stain first, allowed it to sit, and then stained the rest of the drawer front.
I didn’t allow the stain to sink in for very long before wiping it away, and I only did one coat- I loved the somewhat wild look of the PB version and this was an easy way to get a similar look.
After the stain was dry, I installed the drawer pulls. They were the perfect finishing touch! I plan to also apply some dark wax later on to finish it off.
I honestly love it even more than the inspiration photo! It will be used in our living room for storing DVDs, Wii Games, and board games.
Project Breakdown:
Time: approx. 3 hours including assembly (with drying times in between)
Cost: Approx. $121.50
$80 Ikea Tarva
$10 Trim
$ 31.50 Hardware
(Stain, sandpaper, wood filler, and router bit were on hand.)
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Try these other IKEA hacks to get a designer look at a discount price!
IKEA to Pottery Barn Media Center
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I’ll be honest, I like your version better too!! 🙂 EXCELLENT job and a great way to get the for a heck of a lot less! I just revamped all of our living/dining room pieces and there’s more satisfaction doing it yourself even if the process can be daunting sometimes. Great job!
Amazing! Awesome job and so creative!
Love it!! It turned out beautiful!!
If you wanted to you could even add some wood to the inside of the drawers to section the space for clothing items or whatever. Love this remake so wonderful.
I actually prefer your version to the Pottery Barn one. Very nice!
Thanks, Kellie!
You say you finished its dark wax. Can you tell me what kind?